Latches for counterbalanced doors



Nov. 18, 1958 P. R. DoEG ETAL 2,860,386

LATcH'Es FOR COUNTERBALANCED DooRs Filed July 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l ATra/swf Y.

Nov. 18,

Filed July P. R. DOEG El AL LATCHES FOR COUNTERBALANCED DOORS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 P4 u1. E. Bosa d ,4m-Hale W. Ceo/(ER.

JNVENToRs.

A T TO/PNEY.

Nov. 18, 1958 P. R. Dol-:G ETAL 2,860,386

'LTCHES FOR COUNTERBALANCED DOORS Filed July 2, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qlo PAUL E. D056 MJ Asn/we W. Cea/(Eze,

INVENTORJ.

TTU/ENE K Siatcs- Pafeht Ol LATCI-IES FOR COUNTERBALAN CED DOORS Paul R.Doeg, Lynbrook, and Arthur W. Croker, Valley Stream, N. Y., assignors toThe Peelie Company, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application July 2, 1956, Serial No. 595,335

4 Claims. (Cl. 20-19) The latches described herein and shown in theaccompanying drawings are adaptable for use in connection withcounterbalanced doors of the type used for dumbwaiters and freightelevator doors, and are adapted to be used with either manual or motoroperated doors.

Counterbalanced doors are each composed of an upper and a lower section,each section thereof being movable vertically between suitablevertically-disposed guide members, with the sections being connectedtogether by flexible chains running over sheaves and with the sectionsoperating oppositely from each other in the opening and closingmovements thereof.

The principal object of the present invention is the provision of alatching mechanism with parts thereof being secured to the upper andlower door sections and engaging in such manner as to be automatic intheir latching and unlatching actions.

A second object is the provision of a latching mechanism forcounterbalanced doors in which the weights of thel door sections providethe necessary friction of thek latch parts to provide positive actiontherebetween.

A third object is the provision of an automatic latching mechanism whichpermits the use of a safety type astragal in connection with the doorsections, and with the safety type astragal providing means eliminatingserious injury to the operator of the doors.

Further objects and particular advantages of the invention will becomemore apparent in the course of the following description, and that whichis new will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the invention and the operation thereof may be more fullyunderstood and appreciated, we will now take up a detailed descriptionthereof in which the same will be more fully set forth, reference beingmade to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a shaft side elevation of a counterbalanced door havinglatches embodying the principles of the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail section, taken on line 2-2 of Figure l, and showingone of the sheave members and the connecting chain.

Figure 3 is a detail section through the top edge of the door showingthe connection of the chain thereto, as taken on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail section through the meeting rails of the upper andlower door sections and showing the safety astragal therebetween, astaken on line 4 4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional detail through one edge of the door andits guide rail, taken on line 5 5 of Figure l.

Figure 6 is an elevational detail of the latching mechanism, taken online 6 6 of Figure 5, and showing the door sections in latched position.

Figure 7 is a detail vertical section through the meeting rails and theastragal member, with the same being taken on line 7 7 of Figure 6.

'Patented'Nov..4 18,1958

Figure 8 is a detail side elevation of the latching mechanism, takenfrom line 8 8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a detail elevation similar to that shown in Figure 6, butwith the sections of the door being shown in unlatched condition.

Like characters of reference designate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings. v

In order that the construction ofthe invention may be more fullyunderstood, we will now take up a more detailed description thereof, inwhich the same, together with the operation thereof will be more fullyand comprehensively set forth.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, numerals 10 designate the upperdoor section, and numerals 11 designate the lower door section. Thesections are operatively connected by means of flexible chains 12 and 13with each being secured to a respective side of the door and runningover respective sheaves 14 and 15, as shown in Figure l. The sheaves arejournalled on respective axles 16 and 17 through a common header 18, asindicated in Figure 2. One end of chain 12 is secured into a chainfastener 19 which is secured through the upper edge of the upper doorsection 10, while chain 13 is secured into a chain fastener 20 which isalso secured through the upper edge of the upper door section 10 asshown in Figures l and 2.

The door sections are mounted for vertical movement between guides 21and 22, as indicated in Figures l and 5, and with the guides being ofsuch length to provide for the full travel of the door sections, andwith the same being adapted to be secured to elevator shaft walls in asuitable manner (not shown).

A channel 23 is formed by the lower edge of the upper door section, intowhich we provide an astragal member 24 and which is preferably formed ofa neoprene and asbestos combination and provides a safety means againstan operator or other person being seriously injured should a hand becaught between the sections in the closing movements of the door.

The latching mechanism comprises keeper members 25 and 26, one of eachbeing secured to each lower corner of the upper door section with aportion thereof lying against the bottom edge of the door section inchannel 23, and with upwardly-extending portions 27 and 28 fittingagainst the respective vertical edges of the door.

Hinge members 29 and 30 are secured at the upper corners of the lowerdoor section and provide means for pivotally mounting thekeeper-engaging members 31 and 32 by means of respective pins 33 and 34,as more clearly shown in Figures 6, 8 and 9.

The respective latching parts are alike and the description of one setthereof is deemed suicient for the parts on both edges of the doorsections.

The keeper member 25 has a cam surface forming a concave portion 35 andVa convex portion 36 formed thereon, with the same providing forengaging contact with the cam surface on portion 37 of thekeeper-engaging member. Chains 12 and 13 each have one end thereofsecured into a respective keeper-engaging member 3l and 32 and therebyconnecting the lower door section with the upper door section.

It will be noted, by referring to Figure 9, that while the latchingmembers 25 and 31 are disengaged, the keeperengaging members 31 arepositioned in alignment with the respective sheave 14 by means of thechain 12. With the approaching closing movements of the door sections,the cam surface 37 of the keeper-engaging member 31 rides outwardly overthe convex surface 36 of the keeper 25, and with further closingmovement of the surface 37, the same Iseats in the concave ysurface 35of the keeper 25, as shown in Figure 6. The latches at each edge of thedoor sections operate simultaneously.

Itwill -be notedthere 'are no manual means required to operate thelatches as the same are operated solely by the movements of the doorsections. In the opening movements of the doors, the upper sectionmoving upwardly and the lo'wer section moving downwardly, -the surfaces37 of the keeper-engaging member 31 rides downwardly out'of'registerwith the concave surface 35 fand outwardly and downwardly over -theconvex portion 36 of the keeper 25. The latching parts are held in theposition shown in Figure 6 when the doors Vare closed by reason of thetension onchain 12.

The method of providing the engaging surfaces 35, 36 and 37 -in thelatch parts provide means for slowing the closing motion of the doorsections by means of the friction providedtherebetween upon theirengagement.

The present latching arrangement is suitable for counterbalancedfdoorsfor different purposes such as counterbalanced dumbwaiter doors andcounterbalanced'freight elevator doors, regardless of the'sizesof thedoors.

The invention'is shown in its presently preferred form, but itis desiredthat it be understood that minor changes may be made therein, insofar asthe changes therein may fall within the scope of the appended claims andthe spirit of the invention.

What we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is:

l. In combination with a counterbalanced door composed of an upper doorsection and a lower door section, a latching device located at eachvertical edge of the door, a keeper secured at each vertical edge of theupper door section, a hinge member secured at each vertical edge of thelower door section, a keeper-engaging member pivotally secured to eachof the hinge members, with the keeper-engaging members being adapted toengage the respective keepers, with the door sections being connectedtogether by means of door chains, with one end of each of the doorchains being secured to a respective keeper-engaging member, and withthe engaging surfaces of the keeper and the keeper-engaging membersbeing in the form of cams,

Y2. In a latching device for counterbalanced doors said doors consistingof an upper section and a lower section, a keeper member having a convexand a concave cam surface and located at the vertical edges of the upperdoor section, a keeper-engaging member having a cam surfacesubstantially coinciding with the concave surface of the keeper member,with the keeper-engaging member being pivotally secured to a hingemember secured to the lower door section, and with the lengagement ofthe cam surface of the keeper engaging member with the concave surfaceof the'keeper member providing latching means for the door sections.

3. A latching device for counterbalanced doors said door consisting ofan upper section and a lower section, said latching device beingcomposed of a keeper member secured at the vertical edge of the upperdoor section, a hinge member secured at the vertical edges of the lowerdoor section, a keeper-engaging member pivotally secured to the hingemember, and with the keeper-engaging member automatically engaging thekeeper member upon the closing of the door sections.

4. In a counterbalanced door composed of a pair of oppositely movableupper and lower sections, said sections being connected by fiexiblechains running over f respective sheaves, a latching mechanismcomprising a keeper member secured to the lower edge of the uppersection, a hinge member secured to the lower section at each verticaledge thereof, a keeper-engaging member pivotally secured to each of thehinge members and adapted to engage the respective keeper members uponthe closing of the door sections, and with the exible chains beingsecured to the lower door section through the keeper-engaging members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 676,474Saino June 18, 19.01 1,284,518 Whitworth NOV. 12, 1918 2,624,081 SchweigIan. 6, 1953 2,736,073 Pardoe Feb. 28, 1956

